Mom leads police on wild San Mateo chase with baby in car: SMPD
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A mother led police on a wild car chase through San Mateo with her baby in the backseat, investigators said.
Estrella Paniagua, 24, of Daly City, fled from San Mateo Police Department officers by blowing through several stops signs and lights, driving into oncoming traffic, and causing other drivers around her to crash, police said.
The melee began on Monday around 5:40 p.m. inside a Macy’s store at Hillsdale Shopping Center mall in San Mateo. Paniagua was caught shoplifting by one of the store’s security guards, police said.
The guard saw the mother stealing cosmetics and clothing by using her baby’s stroller to conceal the stolen items, according to SMPD. A 15-year-old girl, who police described as a relative, was also with Paniagua.
Two security guards confronted the mother when she attempted to leave Macy’s without paying, SMPD said. Paniagua gave the stolen cosmetics and clothes back, but when the guards tried to detain her and wait for police officers to arrive, she became violent, according to SMPD.
“She assaulted a loss prevention agent by kicking him and attempting to bite another,” SMPD wrote.
After assaulting the security guards, the mother fled with her baby and the teenaged girl from the mall. The security guards quickly gave San Mateo Police Department officers a description of the mother’s getaway car. Officers spotted the car leaving the mall and initiated a police pursuit.
“During the pursuit, the driver drove recklessly by running several stops signs, a stop light, and travelled on the opposite side of the roadway causing a minor collision. While this was occurring, information was obtained that there was likely a toddler in the vehicle. Due to the recklessness and blatant disregard for public safety, the pursuit was terminated,” SMPD wrote.
Officers then issued a “be on the lookout” alert to surrounding Bay Area law enforcement agencies reporting that the mother was last seen driving on Highway 92 from South El Camino Real.
Thirty minutes later, a Colma Police Department officer pulled Paniagua over on San Jose Avenue in San Francisco.
Police wrote, “The driver yielded and it was discovered that a 15-year-old relative and the driver’s 1-year-old child was in the car. Both were with the suspect when she committed the theft from Macy’s and an additional store at Hillsdale Shopping Center, as well as in the vehicle during the pursuit.”
Paniagua was arrested on multiple charges, including felony robbery, felony child endangerment, and evading police with disregard for public safety. While the mother was booked into jail, the baby and teen girl were released to family members.
Paniagua remained in custody as of Tuesday afternoon in lieu of $100,000 bail, San Mateo County jail inmate records show. She is scheduled to be arraigned in court at 1:30 p.m.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
